— Ravi Kathuria, Author, “Happy Soul. Hungry Mind.”
Life Surprises
Sometimes, we can tell how the river of life will flow. At other times, it surprises us, taking us over a grand waterfall, transforming our perspectives on life.
Time Flies – Watch It Carefully
It was 1990, I had just started my first job, in Houston, Texas. I was 23 years old with a lot of energy and aspirations. I blinked my eyes. 25 years flew by. I now had a beautiful family, two businesses, a business book published, and a good professional reputation. I was grateful and appreciative. Still, something was missing.
Where is Peace?
I did not have more peace and happiness than I had 25 years ago. I had more money and success, but it had not made me peaceful. My worries and stresses were still there, if not greater.
Life-eroding Worries
I took risks, worked extremely hard to pursue my entrepreneurial dreams. It involved a lot of stress. As an executive coach, I guided executives and CEOs. They too had a lot of worries. The top source of their worries? Money, career, and growing their companies. I helped them reduce their stress but did not focus as much on reducing my stress.
When I was in college, I worried a lot about getting good grades. Today, I can hardly remember the names of the subjects. When I worked in the corporate world, I worried about my bosses and office politics, how to get promotions and bonuses. Today, all of those are distant memories.
Skip Worrying
While my worries seemed justified at the time, as I look back, they were a big waste of time. It didn’t make a difference to the outcome whether I worried or not. Worrying didn’t help, staying focused and finding solutions did.
If I were to give my younger self advice — skip the worrying. Do not be so consumed with life that you forget to relish it.
A minute in worry is a minute not lived.
Spirituality
I had been spiritually inclined all my life and often pondered about the meaning of life even when I was young.
Spirituality, to me, is distinct from religion. Religion is for the mind. Spirituality, as I define it, is connecting with the life-force within us. Call it soul, spirit, cosmic energy, or anything else you like.
Spirituality is about quieting the mind. When the mind is completely quiet, nature automatically makes magic happen and you experience life like never before.
Life Focus
Despite being spiritually inclined, I was focused on serving the never-ending wants and worries of my mind. The hungry mind is never satisfied.
I could have had the exact same 25 years of life, if I had peace of mind, I would have lived life at a much higher quality.
Focus on Spirituality
Even though I was serving the mind, spirituality was always beckoning. It is the classic push-pull of life.
In 2016, I was faced with a choice, start a multi-year endeavor to grow my business that potentially could make a lot of money, or focus on spirituality.
I realized on my deathbed it would not matter how much I had worked and how much money I had in my bank account. If I had not experienced the peace within, I would not feel fulfilled. I did not want to live the next 25 years in the same way as I had the past 25 years.
I could not make spirituality wait anymore. It was compelling me, calling me with open arms. I needed to do my part and remind myself to pursue spirituality every day.
I was ready to focus more on the journey from my mind to my soul.
Spiritual Complexity
Over the years, every time I had listened to spiritual and religious leaders, they described spirituality in complex and confusing terms. They used difficult words and talked in circles. It was not logical, it was not inviting. I couldn’t listen to them much. I wondered why spirituality was so complex.
My work involved taking complex business situations and making them simple. I wondered if spirituality could be made simple as well.
Spirituality is Simple!
As I analyzed spirituality, I realized it was simple, the religious and spiritual leaders had made it complex.
I felt a need to communicate to the world — Spirituality is simple. Spirituality is practical and logical.
Real-world Story
Instead of pursuing the business project, I decided to redirect my life and convert the notes I had been writing for five years into a book on spirituality. Not an easy decision, because writing my first book was gut-wrenching, I had promised my wife I will not write a second book. But spirituality was compelling me, the river of life was changing course.
Someone asked me what inspired me to write the book. I told them, I was not inspired, I was compelled. Sometimes, we think we are making a decision, when, in fact, life has been creating the conditions for that decision for a long time.
I started writing my modern-day parable about two friends who are dealing with pain and worries, while grappling with serious family, career, and financial challenges. What would be the practical application of spirituality in their situation? Could it help them find peace?
Practical Spirituality
The practicality of spirituality is important to me. Most of us cannot or do not want to become monks. Can spirituality help us in our current way of life? Can we earn a living, take care of our families, and still find inner-peace and happiness?
Uplifting Spiritual Truths
The three years spent writing the book turned out to be an experience I could not have imagined. The book became overwhelming, I could not fit all of the concepts in my head. I was exhausted and wondered if I had bitten more than I could chew.
I did not realize, the river of life was taking me over a grand waterfall. It was amazing.
As I persevered, wrote more, and clarified my thoughts, I realized I was channeling concepts I did not know existed in me. What surprised me are the tenets that crystallized and emerged from the all the dust and clutter.
I was astounded by these tenets. They fit so well, like a well-designed puzzle. To make things simple and clear takes a lot more work than to create something complex. I was stunned by their clarity.
In my work, I must analyze business situations objectively. I applied the same scrutiny to these tenets. I tested the tenets to see if they held up. They help up remarkably.
As I analyzed them, I realized, these simple, clear, non-religious tenets were — “Spiritual Truths!”
Even now, I feel a sense of wonderment and gratitude when I think of them.
These Spiritual Truths have the power to change the world and transform our lives.
Take Advantage
I hope you will “check out” these Spiritual Truths. Respect them, be open to them, and test them for yourself. Explore the positive impact they could have on your life and those around you. If they appeal to you, incorporate them in your life.
Where is Your Life Headed?
Many of us make the mistake of living life at a lower quality of happiness. We are capable of experiencing a much higher quality of happiness, even with the circumstances of life remaining the same.
I encourage you to think about your life. If you had more peace, how would that change the quality of your life?
Whether you are 20 years old or 70 years young, you have been satisfying the wants and worries of your mind since birth. While that is the obvious thing to do, it cannot give you real peace of mind.
Peace of mind is the most valuable possession anyone can have.
Ask your yourself. Is it time for you to explore a dimension of life that you have, perhaps like me, ignored or not prioritized?
If you are young, learn from my mistake and upgrade your life. If you are older, let us move fast towards that upgrade. A life of peace and happiness — your best life — awaits you.
My Future
I feel I have an obligation, a responsibility to help people understand, respect, and appreciate the “Spiritual Truths.” I do feel strongly they can change the world and change our lives, increase peace and happiness throughout the world.
Let Me Help You
The most important journey of life is the journey from the hungry mind to the happy soul.
Let us all make this journey to the ocean of peace within.
If you are interested in that journey and need reminders, encouragement, and specific directions, I am here to help. Please subscribe and connect with me on social media and on my website.
Help the World
If you would like to see the world become more peaceful, then please help me help the world make that journey.
Let us build and grow a world-wide community of practical inner-peace seekers, so we can all remind each other to stay on the journey and help each other. I need those reminders as much as anyone else.
Be Peace
At your core, you are peace. Be who you are. Be peace.
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